The Australian Government has rolled out a new system for prioritizing offshore student visa applications, aiming to ensure equal access for students across various educational institutions.
This move follows the decision to withdraw proposed legislation that would have limited the number of international students allowed in the country.
The prioritization system replaces the previously considered student caps and ensures a more balanced approach to processing visa applications.
According to TravelBiz, the Australian Government’s withdrawal of the Education Services for Overseas Students (ESOS) amendment bill, which sought to impose caps on international student enrolments, paved the way for this new system.
Visa applications processed based on institution caps
Under the new rules, student visa applications will be processed until an institution reaches 80% of its allocated student cap. Once this threshold is met, applications from that institution will be deprioritized in favour of others that have not yet reached their limit.
This system applies specifically to offshore student visa applications, affecting students living outside Australia.
Revocation of student caps provides flexibility.
The Australian Parliament’s decision to reject the ESOS amendment bill means there will be no student caps under the new system.
- This change provides increased flexibility for both students and educational institutions, removing previous restrictions on international student enrolments.
- This means that the Australian Parliament decided not to pass a law that would have imposed limits on the number of international students each educational institution could enroll.
- As a result, there will no longer be a cap or maximum number of international students allowed at any institution under the new system.
This change allows both students and educational institutions more freedom, as it removes the previous restrictions on the number of international students that could be admitted.
Two-Tier priority system for offshore applications
The new system divides offshore student visa applications into two priority categories:
- Priority 1: Institutions that have not yet reached 80% of their 2025 New Overseas Student Commencements (NOSC) allocation will have their applications processed first. This includes students from schools, TAFE providers, aviation pilot training programs, postgraduate research students, and those sponsored by the Commonwealth, such as Foreign Affairs and Defence students.
- Priority 2: Institutions that exceed the 80% cap will have their applications processed under Priority 2, receiving lower priority until other institutions reach their caps.
Important guidance for applicants
Applicants are advised to submit their visa applications early, ensuring that all required documents are provided. Missing or incomplete information could result in delays or visa refusals.
Those who have already submitted applications will have their cases assessed under the new Ministerial Direction 111.
Fairer access for international students
This updated system ensures that no single institution dominates the visa allocation process, offering a fairer distribution of applications. With the removal of student caps, international students have more flexibility when choosing programs at various institutions.
The Department of Employment and Workplace Relations has published indicative allocations for higher education and vocational training providers, promoting transparency and clarity for both students and institutions.
